Meet the Artisan: Safed Candles

“One man’s candle is a light for many” (Talmud Shabbat 21b, 23a). This is a fitting statement for Safed Candles, a company that is all about illuminating the world one candle at a time. Marked by stunning color patterns in bright or pastel colors, each candle is carefully hand dipped and crafted with environmentally friendly materials.

Safed or Tzfat, a popular tourist destination, is an ancient holy city in northern Israel with strong kabbalistic roots dating back to the 1500s, most notably the home of the Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria Ashkenazi). It is a place with an otherworldly atmosphere that attracts artists, hippies, and mystics. The Safed Candle Factory in Tzfat was established in the early 90s by candlemaker Moshe Shkhar. The factory actually burned down in 2008, losing all of its inventory, but as the ash and rubble was cleared away, construction workers discovered ancient rooms that had been covered over by earthquakes centuries earlier. These rooms were incorporated into the new design of the factory when it was rebuilt several years later.

Safed’s Shabbat and Hanukkah candles are crafted from the finest quality wax, and the Havdalah candles are woven from 100% beeswax.

Plus, if you are lucky enough to visit the factory itself (it’s located right next to the historic, 16th century Ari Ashkenazi synagogue in the center of the Old City), you’ll find much more than just candles. Artist Moshe Chaim Gress creates stunning wax sculptures and figurines from pop culture, including Disney and Pixar animation films, iconic images like Fiddler on the Roof, and biblical scenes such as Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath, and more. They even offer workshops to visitors, showing how they make candles.

Besides giving much-needed employment to local craftsmen and artists, Safed Candles are known and celebrated worldwide, earning them a top spot in spreading the light of Israel to the rest of the world. Judaica.com is currently the only retailer in the United States that carries Safed Candles.